Stalking Rod Advice

[RJT74]

Hi, 

 

im looking to pick up a stalking rod and reel but unsure what to go for. i will generally fish close in so am thinking of a 6 footer. various Test Curves are giving me a head ache..

Im not sure what to go for either a 2lb or 2.75lb TC. the rods im looking at are

Nash Dwarf Shrink Rod 6ft 2lb TC £49.99

Greys Stalking Rod, Length: 7ft, Test Curve: 2.75lb  £78.99

Greys GT2 Carp Rods 6FT 2.75lb TC £62.99

Chub Outkast Plus Stalking Rods: 6' Stalking £35

I was looking at fitting it with a Daiwa 19 Black Widow BR LT Reel 3000 

 

I would expect to come across fish mainly high singles, Low doubles with the odd chance of a high double. Im drawn to the 2lb rod but am not sure if i should go heavier to 2.75 as its only a short rod?

Any advice or other recommendations welcome

thanks Richard 

 

 

[elmoputney]

39 minutes ago, RJT74 said:

Hi, 

 

im looking to pick up a stalking rod and reel but unsure what to go for. i will generally fish close in so am thinking of a 6 footer. various Test Curves are giving me a head ache..

Im not sure what to go for either a 2lb or 2.75lb TC. the rods im looking at are

Nash Dwarf Shrink Rod 6ft 2lb TC £49.99

Greys Stalking Rod, Length: 7ft, Test Curve: 2.75lb  £78.99

Greys GT2 Carp Rods 6FT 2.75lb TC £62.99

Chub Outkast Plus Stalking Rods: 6' Stalking £35

I was looking at fitting it with a Daiwa 19 Black Widow BR LT Reel 3000 

 

I would expect to come across fish mainly high singles, Low doubles with the odd chance of a high double. Im drawn to the 2lb rod but am not sure if i should go heavier to 2.75 as its only a short rod?

Any advice or other recommendations welcome

thanks Richard 

 

 

2lb tc in my opinion, if you are fishing close in you want it to be forgiving,I have an old 2lb tc greys stalker and was planning to use it this year again, 😬 

[bluelabel]

Have a look at the Sonik Xtractor 6' and 2lb tc only about £50 or £60 quid

[framey]

I have the 9ft version of the greys and it’s a joy to use

i just moved away from it For now as it’s A 3 piece 

[crusian]

Hello Richard

I remember Chris Ball writing that it's all about balance i.e. he used at one point a fibreglass 1 1/2 lb t.c. rod with 6lb maxima and landed 20s , but that would have been in open water ? .

IMO it's like Elmo says you need to absorb that initial surge when the fish is hooked , with a through actioned rod and a stretchable line .

[RJT74]

thanks guys.  

[salokcinnodrog]

Most definitely a through actioned rod for dealing with that surge close in, you want to be able to 'feel' the pressure you put on and a through actioned rod definitely does that.

 

Personally, I would go for a 9ft in 2lb or even 1.5lb if you can find one. While fishing close in, you get always keep back from the bank, and unless you are jungle fishing, fighting through undergrowth, the longer rod is a better choice for me.

 

You don't even need to think of necessarily rods described as stalking rods, there are good alternatives. Stalking rods are often 'carp taxed'. An Avon or Barbel rod with those 1 1/2 or 2lb test curves makes a very good stalking rod. For years I used a 9ft Spinning rod, my current incarnation is a barbel rod. 

My stalking goes from freeline floater fishing under the rod tip, to lowering bottom baits in at my feet to a gentle flick out with a float.

I have landed 20lb carp on an Avon rod with 6lb line, not once feeling outgunned, although playing it away from lilies was a bit hairy😖

 

This is where the extra length comes in handy as you could be fishing in 6 or 7 feet of water, and casting a float set slightly overdepth with a 6ft rod can see you struggle.

 

 

 

 

[RJT74]

Great point salokcinnodrog. 

My usual carp fishing is with 9ft 2.5lb Greys Rod.  i thought something smaller would be good for margins,  stalking, surface  and travel/holidays etc. 

Greys do a 7ft stalker rod at 2.75lb TC.   https://www.tackleuk.co.uk/Shop/RodsStalkingRods/Greys-Stalking-Rod-7ft.htm?utm_source=google-shopping&utm_medium=cpc&of_tid=MFRWG5B5GI2DIJTGMVSWISLEHUYSM4DSN5SESZB5GEYDIMJW&adGroupId=60238293762&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwvtX0BRAFEiwAGWJyZPAuVqwIuy2bEEF_EnHoBgOK0q1oLtPBB9EESq-P-Rh-MBkpkcT7bhoCTXAQAvD_BwE

 

it just seems crazy to me to have a heavier TC stalking rod than a main rod. - my main carp fishing is only 50-70 yards out so the rods i have fit a treat. 

I stopped fishing 20 yrs ago and started again due to my daughter wanting to go. (no complaints from me)!

I went to Angling Direct and the assistant wanted to sell me a 9ft Nash Dwarf  3lb rod. he said that was a 'general' carp rod  TC these days, i thought it was pretty stiff (It was) and he said the carbon is better now that i was used to 20 yrs ago?

I always remember fishing as light as possible, rod bending over and i was grinning from ear to ear.. it seems if im not launching out a 4oz lead 150 yards im not fishing??

 

[bluelabel]

This is one of my pet hates... for stalking I use a split cane 8' Sharpes of Aberdeen rod with test curve of about 1.5lbs... there really is no need to go heavier than 2lbs for stalking with a ahort rod... my normal go to carbon carp rods are Nash Dwarf 2.75lb 9 footers and my vintage rods are again Sharpes of Aberdeens 9' 3"  maybe the same poundage probably less

Tackle shops are always trying to sell you what they want you to have rather than what you want... a good stalking rod can be had from NGT its a 2lb tc composite of 8' a through action and lovely to use... £20 to you sir.... (Go Outdoors also sell them)

Edited April 15, 2020 by bluelabel

[yonny]

For stalking I just use one of my 12 ft carp rods.

[bluelabel]

1 hour ago, yonny said:

For stalking I just use one of my 12 ft carp rods.

All very well Yonny, but for "going bush" a 12 footer can be a bit unwieldy...  those tight swims where you have low branches above and either side...?

[yonny]

35 minutes ago, bluelabel said:

those tight swims where you have low branches above and either side...?

Yeah everyone that uses short rods speaks of these swims but in 25 years I've never found a spot anywhere in which I haven't been able to fish with a 12 ft rod. I might need waders to land them, but I've literally never found a spot I can't put a bait on with the 12's.

[RJT74]

thanks for all the advice guys. Keeps me thinking of fishing even though we cant ! 

 

[gagnaccarp]

I use a 7 ft Greys , when i go i will have a little back pack , then my rod will be split in two, but fully set up , just needs putting together ,same with my landing net and pole  its all wrapped up in my carp mat which has a bungee wrapped round tight , i might spend an hour or so walking before i find "the spot " unless i have pre baited somewhere ! caught river carp up to around 40 lb on it 

[kevtaylor]

My mate really struggled with 12 footers under a tree on Parco, but did land fish to 66lb.

What we needed were 9 or 10 footers in 3lb, I don't go along with this lighter test curve thinking tbh 3's are not stiff at all.

Since then I got a set of 10's which I think will be OK in that tight situation, could and maybe should have got 9's but we'll see.  6's are tiny I cant really see a need for them and we were in a really tight spot, I'd trade any gains from that for the advantages of a bit more length if that makes sense. 

[kevtaylor]

I should add as Ian says how often do you actually need shorter rods for stalking in the edge? I did 4 years on a stalking water with my 12's there wasn't a problem in any swim ever, I'd go back now with my 12.5 footers.

I got the 10's for short session general fishing, barbel, pike and carp - but I will leave one in the car from now on just in case I do find that one off spot under the trees and there's a few whackers down there.

[elmoputney]

I like my 6ft rod it doesn't get used enough but if you want a "fun" rod then it's perfect for stalking and getting around with minimal fuss, I do agree you can do stalking with 12 footers but it reminds me of the olden days with my little ledger rod and peering over the edge of the bank watching a dog biscuit right under the rod tip, and also its amazing playing a fish with the rod arching right round to the handle, 

While I do agree I got bored quickly with 10ft rods as they are limiting for all round rods and much prefer my 12 footers, it's nice to have a little fun rod that is easily transportable when you just have an hour or two 

 

[salokcinnodrog]

On 15 April 2020 at 10:42, yonny said:

Yeah everyone that uses short rods speaks of these swims but in 25 years I've never found a spot anywhere in which I haven't been able to fish with a 12 ft rod. I might need waders to land them, but I've literally never found a spot I can't put a bait on with the 12's.

I have found a few swims on Taverham Mills, the Sugar Beet pits and the park lake that 12 feet rods would be a struggle, a 9foot rod was perfect under the overhanging trees.

 

[nigewoodcock]

Shorter rods also have the bonus of being, well, shorter! Much easier to walk round a lake baiting a few spots and dropping in if the chance arises. I use 9fts in the main but love getting in right with my 6ft’s. They also take up less space on the barrow, in the boat and also the van/car. I like to keep my kit down to an absolute minimum. 

Most of my fishing is now done with 10ft rods. I’m good for up to the 100/110yards with them, maybe a touch more if I didn’t need to be as accurate. I haven’t used my 12ft torrix rods for around 18months now. That includes fish lakes such as horseshoe. 

I am also with kev on the test curve front. My 10’s are 3.5, 9’s and 6’s are both 3lb. I would drop down to a 2.75 for floater fishing but I need to stop somewhere with buying rods! 

[RJT74]

How many rods is considered excessive!!?? ha ha 

[crusian]

1 hour ago, RJT74 said:

How many rods is considered excessive!!?? ha ha 

Well it sounds as though though Blue has a lovely collection of Cane Rods ! .

😁